Receptacle and wiper



Sept. 9, 1952 J. F. M CARTHY RECEPTACLE AND WIPER Filed Oct. 31, 1946 INVENTOR.

Patented Sept. 9, 1952 Jane F. McCarthy, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application October 31, 1946, Serial No. 707,008

1 Claim.

This invention relates to hand manipulated receptacles for the collection of debris or refuse such as cigar, cigarette or the like ashes as usually collect in trays for such purpose Where smokers are wont to assemble.

Certain forms of such receptacles are commonly known as silent butlers and While they serve effectually to a certain degree in the art of sanitation respecting the rapidly increasing use of tobacco, they lack the cooperative association of means for application of a final touch of further cleansing operation to trays or the like immediately after experiencing freedom from their contents.

The principal object of the instant invention is to overcome such lack and provide simple, convenient, and efficient means directly associated with such a receptacle for material improvement in the more sanitary use of same.

Another object is to expedite the cleaning of ash trays and the like by providing a yieldable mop-like cleaning instrumentality of asbestos or other suitable material either fixed to or integral with the underside of the lid of a silent butler whereby it is not necessary to put down the butler while one is emptying and cleaning said trays.

Still another object is to so equip a silent butler that such cleaning instrumentality will be most conveniently situated over the open receptacle so that all debris and refuse will automatically fall thereinto when an ash tray or the like is mopped out during the cleaning process.

A novel feature and advantage of the instant invention is that the mop is most suitably located when in use and when not in use it is completely hidden from view within the receptacle and in no way mars the ornamentation thereof.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description of the invention progresses.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing, the single figure is a side elevational view of one form of the so-called silent butler showing the invention applied to the open lid thereof.

In the drawing the reference numeral l represents the debris receiving receptacle of a common silent butler which is made of any suitable material, and 2 represents its carrying handle. The lid or cover 3 of the receptacle is pivotally fixed as at 4 to the receptacle adjacent the handle thereof, and has a small thumb operated opening lever 5 projecting therefrom for convenience in manipulating the silent butler with one hand while the other is free to pick up and empty ash trays and the like into the receptacle. Thus the lid may be easily closed when moving from one tray to another without the danger of the lighter debris, such as ashes or the like, being shaken or blown out of same and thereby soiling surrounding furniture, rugs, or the like.

Fixed to or integral with the underside of the lid 3 is the mop-like cleaner G. In this instance the mop is screwthreadedly fixed centrally of the underside of the lid as at 1, although it could as well be held by means of spring clips or some other suitable fastening.

From the illustration of the invention it is apparent that one may easily carry the receptacle in one hand and open the lid with thumb pressure on the projecting lever 5 which also acts as a stop when it contacts the handle 2 to prevent further opening of the lid. With the li' thus opened and firmly held against further opening, one may easily and conveniently pick up an ash tray with the other hand, empty its debris into the receptacle and then further clean the tray by rubbing it against the firmly positioned mop 6. The debris thus removed from the tray will automatically fall downwardly into the receptacle I due to its being immediately over same.

This feature of a further cleaning operation available without undue effort on the part of the person doing the cleaning serves to greatly augment the sanitation of such trays as well as to expedite the normal cleaning of same in that it is not necessary to put down the silent butler as each tray is cleaned and carry a separate cleaning cloth for wiping out the interior of the trays and then pick up the utensil, move to the next tray, and repeat the process.

Obviously, the interior design or ornamentation of the receptacle has no eflert on this invention, as the mop may be suitably installed within the receptacle to function irrespective of such.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

A receptacle for receiving debris from an ash tray and for use in subsequently cleaning said ash tray, having in combination an open topped receptacle body, a cover hingedly attached at one side to the upper portion of said body and swingable over said open top, a handle secured to said body adjacent said one side and near the top of said body, a wiping member of yieldable material and of generally convex shape attached to the underside of said cover and projecting substantially therefrom and a coveropening and swing-limiting extension projecting from said cover and engageable with said 3 handle adjacent said hinge for positioning said cover nearly perpendicularly to said body with said wiping member then disposed over the top of said body in a position to advantageously accommodate an ash tray for cleaning and to cause said material wiped from said ash tray to fall into said receptacle.

JANE F. MCCARTHY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number D. 142,722 294,295 484,422 643,855 1,297,943 1,683,458 1,770,344 1,998,742

4 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Lytle Oct. 30, 1945 Whiting Feb. 26, 1884 Gunn Oct. 18, 1892 Williamson Feb. 20, 1900 Walker Mar. 18, 1919 Hall Sept. 4, 1928 Schmidt July 8, 1930 Sussman Apr. 23, 1935 Landesman July 18, 1944 

